A Passion For Paws Rescue, Inc.: Orvis Dog Enrichment Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

The money was used for our general operations.

As our organization depends primarily on private individual contributions, grants help seal any holes in our budget. This grant has impacted our rehabilitation and rehoming programs as we are seeing an increase in the average number of dogs adopted each month. This allows us to then rescue more dogs.

How many pets did this grant help?

This grant primarily helps the 25 dogs that are continually in our kennels.

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

Bacardi was a female Akita in need of rehabilitation. We rescued her 2011 after she was found as a stray. She was starving and had signs of physical abuse. Her teeth had been filed down. Breeders do this to prevent females from biting the many males mounting them continually. Bacardi was reserved and fearful because of the past abuse, and she required long socialization development.

Finally after nearly four years in our care, she was adopted in January by a retiree surviving solely on social security. She loves her new home, as evidenced by photos and a touching video her new owner shared with us. Unfortunately she was recently diagnosed with lipoma — fatty tissue between the skin and muscle. As her owner can’t afford treatment, we will be funding her medical care. Most importantly, though she is happy and free from abuse. The Petfinder Foundation’s Orvis Operation Grant greatly impacted our Rehabilitation Program.